What is Kroger?
The Kroger Co. ((KR) -)) is an operator of supermarkets, pharmacies, and department stores in 35 states and Washington, D.C. As of the end of 2022, Kroger operated 2,742 supermarkets and multi-department stores, and 2,255 pharmacies, and it employed almost 500,000 full and part-time employees. Founded in 1883, Kroger serves more than 11 million customers daily.
The publicly traded company had a market value of $32 billion as of Nov. 24, 2023. From the end of 2013 to Nov. 24, 2023, its stock rose 123%, compared to a 150% gain for the S&P 500 Index. The Cincinnati-based company reported $2.2 billion in net earnings on sales of $148 billion in its fiscal year 2022.
As such a large player in the grocery and retail space, Kroger is always hiring, and many job seekers wonder just how lucrative a career with the large national chain — whether in retail or in a corporate role — could be.
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How much does Kroger pay?
As with most large employers, pay at Kroger varies by experience, type of job, status, and location. Interestingly, the company doesn’t display salary or wage ranges on the open jobs listings on its careers page. A full-time employee such as a cashier or associate in the deli or bakery section might be paid in the $20,000 range, which would be in the lowest rung of the pay scale.
Kroger’s highest-paid employee is its chief executive officer. Rodney McMullen, CEO since 2014, was given a base salary of $1.388 million in 2022, and stock awards and incentives pushed his total compensation up to $19.209 million, according to an annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In a true trajectory of climbing the corporate ladder, he first joined Kroger as a part-time stock clerk in 1978, eventually becoming a financial analyst for the company before moving into the C-suite as chief financial officer when he was 34.
According to job posting website ZipRecruiter, among the highest-paying jobs at Kroger’s company-wide stores is pharmacy manager, with an annual salary of $152,650.
Lower on the pay scale, a grocery department manager earns $55,413, and a warehouse associate earns $59,156. Among the technical positions, the pay tends to be higher: Plant-maintenance engineers earn around $73,500, refrigeration technicians bring home $67,595, and engineering technicians make about $59,470.
How much does Kroger pay per hour?
It’s unknown how many of Kroger’s workforce of half a million are part-time or work on a per-hour basis. In 2021, Kroger said it raised its average hourly wage to more than $17, which is above the minimum hourly wage of many states. Including comprehensive benefits, its average hourly compensation exceeds $22, according to Kroger. The company also provides benefits such as affordable healthcare, 401(k) plans, and pensions.
What is the starting pay at Kroger?
Kroger has thousands of full and part-time job openings across its grocer retail, manufacturing, supply chain and distribution, delivery, health and wellness, corporate, and technology and digital operations.
Annual pay for entry-level positions typically falls in the $20,000 to $30,000 range, based on a 40-hour workweek for 52 weeks. Still, that’s below the 2023 national median annual salary of $57,200, which is based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
According to jobs website Indeed.com, pay at Kroger’s store operations was lower than the company’s average hourly rate. A retail sales associate earned an average $12.55 an hour, based on salaries reported. For a store manager, average pay was $14.09 an hour, a grocery associate $14.75 an hour, a deli associate $14.14 an hour, and a bakery clerk $13.49 an hour.
How much does Kroger pay cashiers?
Kroger doesn’t list the pay rate for cashiers at its Kroger Stores on its website. Many of the positions listed at its Kroger stores for cashiers are part-time, and these are eligible for overtime pay based on non-exempt Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) status. Typical desired requirements include having previous customer service experience as a bagger or courtesy clerk.
While Kroger puts its hourly average wage rate above $17, some job-posting websites list cashier pay below that, and pay varies depending on location and cost of living.
Cashier pay in Portland, Oregon, for example, is estimated at $15.70 to $21.85 per hour, according to jobs listing and company review website Glassdoor. In Ronceverte, West Virginia, the hourly rate is $11, in Nashville, Tennessee $16, and in Ann Arbor, Michigan $14.25.
Does Kroger pay weekly?
According to several job sites, Kroger pays its hourly workers on a weekly basis. Typically, those on weekday shifts would be paid based on that Monday to Friday schedule, and wages would reflect those hours worked. It may take a week or two to process that first week’s pay.
Does Kroger provide on-the-job training?
Kroger does provide training for new employees, as well as programs for those who aim to make the company part of their long-term career plan.
As its CEO Rodney McMullen can attest, on-the-job training and formal learning programs can lead to lifelong career opportunities at Kroger, where he rose from part-time store clerk to CEO in the span of a few decades.
